My son gets his first rod!!

Getting Started
1

Thanks to everyone who has made suggestions and advice about introducing fly fishing to my kids.

I was given a Cabela’s gift card for Christmas and decided to spend it a week ago. I found a nice little 8’ 4 wt Ross rod. My son Ian (age eight)wondered over after wearing grandpa out looking at the fish tanks and bass lures. I handed him the rod to ask his opinion of it. He asked me if I were getting it, I told him that I thought so. He then asked if we could get two. At that point the sales guy and I both had a smile a mile wide since he knew the rod wasn’t for me all along.
Ian asked how the rod could be his promising to work very hard practicing and being very careful with it.

I had the salesmen spool up the reel with 5 wt line to help Ian develop a good feel for the rod loading (as suggested here)

I got out the door with a medium action rod, reel, backing and line for less than 200 bucks and a son that would not let go of the rod tube long enough for the clerk to ring us up.

I was allowed to carry the reel box and a bag full of cloths it took to keep my wife away from the fly shop section long enough to seal the deal.

all in all a pretty darn good day Now if spring will ever get here so we can go chase some gills.

thanks again guys
Briney

2

Something you can remember always and that you and your son can share. I hope you have many hundreds of days together ‘out on the waters’…congrats briney dave…

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

3

Congrats to you and your son. We expect to see many photos of that first fish. I hope you and your son are still fishing together when he reachs my age (well into the 3rd quarter of this century.) I still have great memories of fishing with my Mom and the lady from the adjoining farm when I was around 8 years. I was using a locally grown bamboo rod and earthworm from around the barnyard.

4

Ian and I have spent a bunch of hours chasing bass and gills with our spinning reel set-ups and bait cast rigs.

He was the first of the family to catch a bass when my folks bought our summer place in Angola In. he was standing on the dock working a giant rapala and landed a poor little bass about two inches longer than the crank bait

5

Congrats to both you & Ian! Fly fishing together will be a fantastic experience.
Keep us posted on the results…soon as our Ohio weather permits.
Mike

6

I certainly will, the other day the temp rose to near 40, 15 again this morning though.

Now I will have to start over saving for a 4 wt of my own. I want a 8-9 to give steelhead fishing another chance too.

But all in all I know it was money well spent. I can’t wait to get him out on the water.

7

Dave,
Wait until the weather warms a bit & give me a holler if you can get east for some steelies…I have an extra 8wt you are welcome to use.
Mike

8

I would love to, I will leave it to you to pick a day that you think they will be up and around and you have time to go.

I can make any point inside the state border in about 2 1/2 so even a week day evening is ok with me.

Of course a weekend would give us more time but your call

When I was in my 20’s I could be ready for any trip anywhere in about 10 minutes
now I have to make sure the kids are covered LOL so more like an hour or so :wink: heads up

9

You and Ian will have some fine days together on the water – thanks for sharing.